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Hōkūleʻa Arrives in Mauritius

MAURITIUS – The crew of the Hōkūleʻa, received a warm welcome this week upon reaching the island nation of Mauritius. The stop is a critical waypoint on the dangerous Indian Ocean leg of the Worldwide Voyage.

“Mauritius is a very strategic port of call for the Worldwide Voyage, as it sets us up for our next great challenge of sailing to Madagascar and South Africa, eventually arriving in Cape Town. The stop will bring relief to a crew that just sailed 3,500 nautical miles across the Indian Ocean,” said Nainoa Thompson, pwo (master) navigator and president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society. “The Mauritius to Cape Town journey may be the longest time that a crew will be on the canoe for the duration of the voyage. We’re thankful that Mauritius allows us to set up for the next leg of our travels, and it also introduces us to extraordinary ecological and culturally rich places. We are grateful to Outrigger Resorts for supporting our voyage and partnering with us while our crew docks in Mauritius.”

Outrigger Resorts, a homegrown family company headquartered in Hawaii, is a key sponsor of the Worldwide Voyage. Bitsy Kelley, vice president of corporate communications at Outrigger Enterprises Group, was on the dock in Honolulu for the launch of the Worldwide Voyage in May of 2014 and is excited to have the Hōkūleʻa’s crew now enjoying some much deserved R&R at the Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort. While on the island, Hōkūleʻa crew will re-provision with the support of the resort, preparing for the next portion of the sail plan: South Africa.

“Since we set out on our own global expansion, one of our primary goals was to be authentic ambassadors of aloha in every country we’re located in,” said Kelley. “We’re proud to be able to share the story of Hōkūleʻa and the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission of navigating toward a healthy and sustainable future with our guests and the community.” The voyage’s goal of educating the world’s community about preserving our natural resources also ties in beautifully with Outrigger Resorts’ global coral health and conservation program, OZONE (Outrigger’s zone).

During their time in Mauritius, Worldwide Voyage crewmembers will reach out to the community, offering educational opportunities on traditional Polynesian non-instrument wayfinding and building relationships with the local marine conservation community. The crew will learn about and share stories of hope with local dignitaries and community leaders in service of the voyage’s Mālama Honua mission-caring for our Island Earth.